Awareness as Transformative
Handbook of Transformative Philosophy January 1, 2026 Rick Repetti
Awareness is a concept with a deep history in Western thought and remains philosophically challenging, especially in contemporary philosophy of consciousness where defining it raises the hard problem. This chapter traces the transformative power of awareness from its Western historical roots, then uses analytic philosophy to clarify its meanings and problems. Awareness is shown to be presupposed in nearly everything that matters to people and plays a transformative role in themes such as wonder, imagination, will, decision, experience, understanding, feminist consciousness, love, self-esteem, meaning, and happiness, as well as in meditation, aspiration, and transformation itself.